A new statue of The Queen will take its place at one of England’s most celebrated churches to mark the Platinum Jubilee.
First glimpses of the sculpture, which will sit in a currently empty niche on the West front of York Minister, have been revealed.
The statue is the work of Richard Bossons, who has been part of the Minister’s Stoneyard team for ten years.
It shows The Queen dressed in her Order of the Garter robes and wearing the George IV State Diadem. She carries the orb and sceptre, the symbols of her office as Head of State and Head of the Church of England.
Measuring two metres and weighing nearly two tonnes, it will be carved from Lepine stone, a French stone used previously for carvings at the Minster.
Richard Bossons said he had faced several challenges, adding ”The statue needs to be part of the fabric, not a distraction from it, yet it also has to have the poise and presence befitting of the Queen’s unique role as Head of Church and State.”
His final design was developed in conjunction with York’s Fabric Advisory Committee and the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England who recently gave their permission for the principle of the statue under the Care of Cathedrals Measure, the legal framework against which all major changes to cathedral buildings are considered.
The Dean of York, the Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost, said ”“We are delighted to be marking Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and to give thanks for a life of dedication to this nation and the Commonwealth. We are incredibly proud that the statue has been designed and will be carved by one of our own masons which is testament to the incredible craft skills we have here in our Stoneyard.”
The statue will overlook a proposed new space for the city, to be called Queen Elizabeth Square.
Richard Bossons said that his statue’s gaze will look across the planned square, adding ”she will stand proud and resolute in her niche, welcoming worshippers and visitors alike”.
Work has already begun on the sculpture which will be unveiled officially in the autumn of 2022.
The Queen will mark the 70th anniversary of her reign on February 6th 2022 and a four day celebration for her Platinum Jubilee takes place between June 2nd and June 5th 2022.
